Waterproofing is the process of giving certain surfaces or structures the properties of being waterproof or water-resistant such that these areas stay unaffected by water or can resist the effects of water ingress. Waterproofing failures cause billions of dollars of damages every year, it is important to ensure that a properly installed and designed waterproofing system is in place to prevent damages to your property.
In construction, we generally make use of membranes, coatings of pre-formed sheets to waterproof the building or structure. It is important to waterproof wet areas in buildings to prevent water intrusion and cause structural damage or damages to your assets in the house. Some examples of wet areas are: roof, balcony, bathroom, toilet, kitchen etc.
In the design of a waterproofing system, it is very important to ensure that all possible sources of water are being removed from surfaces of the building as quickly as possible. The faster we get rid of water from surfaces of the building, the less likely it is for water to pond or form puddles. Water ponding and puddles on buildings are likely to cause water ingress and water leakage into the structure. To eliminate this, we can make sure that all slopes are constructed with sufficient gradient to increase to speed of water flow on the surface of buildings.
Most of water ingress occurs at joints and seams. These joints and seams are weak spots which are prone to de-bonding. When joints and seams de-bond, a void or gap is created, and this poses a potential spot for water intrusion. Waterproofing is especially important to protect these joints and seams. Even when the joints and seams have de-bonded, the waterproofing should still bridge the cracks and gaps to prevent water intrusion into the building.
Design of a waterproofing system is also very important, a properly designed waterproofing system will provide water-resistance and water-tightness in your property for a long time. However, a waterproofing system wrongly designed will not last more than a couple of years. It is usually the architect or waterproofing specialist’s responsibility to understand the building’s requirements and design a relevant and appropriate waterproofing system for it. There is no off-the-shelf or one-size-fits-all waterproofing system, every building will require different sets of waterproofing systems depending on the environment, nature of wet area, and properties required (i.e. root-resistant etc).
If there is no fault or mistake in the design of the waterproofing system, water leakage usually happens because of improper installation techniques. There are many crucial steps in the process of waterproofing installation which must be properly carried out. Firstly, surface preparation is a very important step in waterproofing. An inadequately prepared surface will cause waterproofing membranes, coatings or pre-formed sheets to not bond to the substrate properly. Secondly, each waterproofing membrane, coating or pre-formed sheet requires a different set of primers (refer to manufacturer’s specifications). Using an incompatible primer, will cause poor bonding. Human errors can also jeopardize the integrity of a waterproofing system. It is important to follow the manufacturer’s specifications when installing the waterproofing system to ensure that the different steps are carried out according to the correct installation procedure.
Waterproofing in the construction industry is an important portion of the entire building’s components but it is often neglected by property owners and contractors. This often results in premature water leakage or seepage in properties. It is important to give attention to all your waterproofing works. You should engage a waterproofing specialist contractor for such works so that you can be assured of the quality of works.